How the Fever stunned the Aces and stole Game 1 in the WNBA semifinals

Sunday started with Las Vegas Aces prima A'ja Wilson becoming the first subordinate successful league past to triumph 4 MVP awards. But hours later, connected the Aces' location court, the No. 6 effect Indiana Fever stole Game 1 of their WNBA semifinal series, beating the 2-seedede Aces 89-73 astatine Michelob ULTRA Arena.

Indiana's Kelsey Mitchell scored 34 points connected 12-for-23 shooting successful the win. She's the archetypal Fever subordinate to people 30 points successful a playoff crippled since 2012.

Wilson finished with 16 points, missing her archetypal six shots from the tract and finishing 6-of-22 from the floor. After winning 17 consecutive games, the Aces person present mislaid 2 of their past 3 (they mislaid Game 2 of their first-round bid with Seattle).

Here's however Indiana took a 1-0 pb successful the series, which resumes Tuesday (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

How did Indiana bargain Game 1?

Indiana was the quicker squad and played with much urgency from the opening tip. The assertive play of the Fever backcourt, chiefly Mitchell and Odyssey Sims, acceptable a code for which the Aces didn't look ready. The assurance Indiana got from winning 2 successful a enactment against the Atlanta Dream successful the archetypal circular traveled to Las Vegas.

The Aces had nary reply for Mitchell, careless of who drew the antiaircraft assignment. Her 34 points were a playoff vocation precocious and came connected 12-of-23 shooting, producing 1 of the champion playoff performances successful Fever history. The Aces struggled staying successful beforehand of Mitchell early, which aboriginal opened plentifulness of shooting space. Mitchell made 4 of 6 3-point attempts. Sims presented astir arsenic galore problems for Las Vegas with 17 points connected 7-of-13 shooting.

With Wilson struggling from the level and the Las Vegas guards incapable to support effectively, the Aces didn't person capable answers to flooded Mitchell, Indiana's violative ratio and 50% shooting. -- Creme

How does Las Vegas respond successful Tuesday's Game 2?

The Aces are going to person to tighten their defense. After ranking ninth successful the WNBA successful antiaircraft standing during a 14-14 start, Las Vegas improved to fertile 2nd during its winning streak, allowing little than a constituent per possession. The Storm easy bushed that people to drawback the streak successful Game 2 of the archetypal round, and the Fever's 1.11 points per possession were the astir the Aces person allowed since their 53-point nonaccomplishment to the Minnesota Lynx connected Aug. 2.

In particular, Indiana carved up Las Vegas successful the paint, scoring 50 points. The Aces lone allowed much than that 5 times each season.

The different evident accommodation for Las Vegas is to get Wilson going. As successful the archetypal circular against Atlanta, Indiana did a beardown occupation of taking distant 3-point opportunities for the Aces, who attempted conscionable 17. The trade-off is azygous sum against Wilson successful the post, yet the Fever held the MVP to 6-of-22 shooting, her astir missed shots ever successful a playoff game....